The Police Command in Ogun State says three police inspectors have been caught on camera “flagrantly extorting money from commercial motorcyclists” otherwise known as okada riders.

The command identified the officers as Inspector Ikhanorba Lucky, Inspector Paul Sunday, and Inspector Edwin Ekeogu.

The Police Spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, on Sunday, said the inspectors, on October 19, involved in “an incident of professional misconduct while on visibility policing duty at Maawu Bus stop in the Agbado area of the state.”

Odutola explained that, “These officers were caught on camera flagrantly extorting money from commercial motorcyclists in contravention of the Police Act and Regulations.”

She added that the “inappropriate actions of the three policemen were subsequently shared on social media.”

Odutola quoted the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, to have strongly condemned the “unprofessional act” of the three men.

“To address this misconduct, the Command has activated appropriate disciplinary measures against the erring personnel to ensure that they are held accountable for their misconduct and to serve as a deterrent to others who might be tempted to toe this ignoble path,” Odutola said.

She also quoted the CP to have emphasised his commitment to upholding professional standards within the Force to sustain quality service delivery to the citizens and sustain public trust and confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.

The police in Benue State, on Saturday confirmed that the Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP John Adikwu and three other operatives were killed during the armed robbery on commercial banks in Otukpo town of the state.

Residents had said that the armed robbers on Friday afternoon caused a stir in the heart of Otukpo town when they attacked some banks in the area.

The police public relations officer in the state, SP Catherine Anene, in a statement, also confirmed that five banks were robbed simultaneously.

Anene added that in a hot pursuit of the suspected robbers, security operatives gunned down two of the armed robbers while still on the trail of others, who abandoned their vehicle and ran into the bush along the Otukpo-Taraku axis.

“On October 20, 2023, about 1615hrs, armed robbers invaded Access Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Stanbic IBTC simultaneously. The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP John Adikwu and other police teams in the area engaged them in a gun battle but were unable to prevent their attack on the banks.

“More police teams, in collaboration with other security agents, have been deployed to Otukpo to assist in stabilising the area and prevent these robbers from escaping.

“The robbers, who were intercepted along the Otukpo-Taraku road, engaged officers in a gun battle and two of the robbers died in the process. Other gang members abandoned their vehicles and escaped into the forest and are being chased by the police.

“The DPO, who sustained a gunshot injury on his stomach, and three other police officers, have been confirmed dead at the hospital. Other persons who sustained injuries in the bank have been moved to the hospital for treatment,” the police spokesman noted.

She said investigation into the matter had commenced but was, however, silent on the number of civilians killed during the robbery incident.

Meanwhile, one of the military personnel who was part of the team that engaged the armed robbers but did not want to be named, revealed that security operatives couldn’t do much in engaging the daredevils while the operation went on because of the crowd of innocent people at the scene.

The Osun Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed that seven people died in an accident that occurred on the Osogbo-Gbongan highway on Friday, October 20.

FRSC Sector Commander Henry Benamaisia, who disclosed this in an interview on Saturday in Osogbo, said a Sharon Nissan vehicle with plate number WW D574 AE lost control due to excessive speed at about 7:40 pm, resulting in the deaths of seven of its 10 passengers.

The Osun FRSC boss confirmed that the accident occurred around Ogidi village, near Sasa Bridge.

“We lost seven persons, including three females, one male, and three children, while three other persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

The bodies of three of the dead victims, who were indigenes of Osun, were taken to Ode-Omu by their relatives, while the remaining four bodies were taken to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Osogbo by the FRSC Rescue Team,” Benamaisia said.

Those injured, according to him, were taken to an undisclosed hospital for further treatment.

The Osun sector commander commended the efforts of sister security agencies for their joint effort in the rescue operation for the survivors.

He added that belongings recovered during the accident have been handed over to the police.

After yet another international break, the Premier League makes its return with fixtures in Game Week 9.

It will be a weekend of derbies.First, Liverpool welcome Everton in Saturday’s early kick-off, before Arsenal travel to Chelsea in the late kick-off.

The round of fixtures will be closed out with a clash between Tottenham and Fulham on Monday.

But what four matches have the potential to pull off a surprise?

1. Liverpool vs Everton: A glance at this match-up and you’d expect Liverpool to thrash Everton at Anfield. But dismiss Sean Dyche’s men at your peril. The visitors will defend in banks of four and attempt to shut out the Reds, why hoping to get a chance or two to get a goal and a massive result. This could be one to keep an eye on this weekend.

2. Man City vs Brighton: Pep Guardiola must have spent the break hurting. City lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates, before the players flew out to represent their various countries. This week in training, it would have been no doubt drummed into their ears that they cannot afford a third consecutive league defeat. Rodri will return after his three-game suspension, but you’d still expect Brighton to take the game to City at the Etihad.

3. Sheffield United vs Man Utd: It has indeed been a poor start to this campaign by Erik ten Hag’s men. There is no match this season where they have played convincingly, including the ones they won. United are away to Sheffield United on Saturday and this could turn out to be a tricky affair, as the Bramall Lane side are fighting for their lives.

4. Tottenham vs Fulham: Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs have looked a different side. All that talk of them struggling without Harry Kane has been put to bed early, as they sit top of the table on goals difference. A home game against Fulham is likely to see them continue their unbeaten start. But a London Derby under the lights could prove to be a cracker.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has approved the appointment of sole administrators for the 14 Local Government Councils of the State.

The Governor also approved the appointment of Secretaries and Supervisory Councillors for the local governments.

A statement by his Senior Special Assistant, Malam Sulaiman Idris, quoted the Governor as saying that the appointees were “carefully selected based on past achievements and track records”.

The appointees include Bashar Musa for Anka Local Government, Sa’idu Danbala for Bakura, Isiyaka Ibrahim for Birnin-Magaji and Nasiru Muhammad for Bukkuyum.

Other are Nura Umar for Bungudu, Aminu Nuhu for Gummi, Yahaya Garba for Gusau, Kasimu Sani-Kaura for Kauran-Namoda and Yahaya Giwa for Maradun.

The rest are Yusuf Sani-Bindin for Maru, Lukman Jafar for Talata-Mafara, Aliyu Adamu-Barmo for Tsafe, Junaidu Muhammad-Barade for Shinkafi and Aminu Atiku for Zurmi.

The statement said that the appointments were for six months and subject to confirmation by the House of Assembly.

President Bola Tinubu on Friday said that the restoration of the country to its rightful place in the community of nations requires sacrifice from citizens, including religious and other leaders.

According to Tinubu’s spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the President disclosed this in an audience with a delegation of South-West Muslim faithful, led by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, in Abuja, on Friday.

Tinubu noted that the current challenges facing the entire nation were only temporary, assuring Nigerians that better days were in the offing.

“We have to believe in one country; we have to believe in Nigeria. We will do our best, and our economy will get better for the benefit of Nigerians. I am very sure of that, and we are putting in the work to ensure that,” the President said.

He noted that the policies and programmes of his administration were aimed at achieving a fairer, better and honest society where hard work would be rewarded and laziness would reap little.

“It is about our future. We must guarantee our future. Almighty Allah will not give us a burden that we cannot bear. He has put us here for a purpose. It may look complex, even rough, but it will get better.

“We avoided it (removing petroleum subsidy) for 40 years. We are all going through the pain now, but for Nigeria not to collapse, we had to remove the fuel subsidy.

“In the history of successful nations, there is nothing more vital than the leadership of a nation making difficult decisions at the right time and for the right reasons. There would have been no money for the sub-nationals,” the President said.

Ancelotti is preparing Los Blancos to face the Sevilla defender in LaLiga on Saturday.

Ramos was a key member of the Madrid squad during the Italian’s first spell between 2013 and 2015.

The defender scored the 93rd-minute equaliser in their 2014 Champions League final win over Atletico Madrid.

Ancelotti said in a news conference on Friday: “I’d love to see [Ramos] and say hello. I have affection for all the players I’ve had, but above all, I have special affection for him.

“If I’m here today, it’s because of Sergio Ramos. If he hadn’t scored the goal in the [Champions League] final, I probably wouldn’t be here. For that, and for everything he did for this club, everybody has a lot of affection for him. He’ll play well, for sure. Let’s hope he doesn’t score, but if he does, he can [celebrate] however he wants!”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the confirmation of the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the substantive Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Willie Bassey, Director, Information at Secretary to the Government of the Federation, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the appointment takes effect from 19th October 2023, and his tenure follows the extant provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR).

The President tasked the CG to bring his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment.

In June, Tinubu appointed Adeniyi as Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to replace former CG, Hammed Ali.

Unspecified number of residents of Otukpo, Benue State, have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be armed robbers.

DAILY POST gathered that the gunmen invaded several banks in Otukpo at about 3 pm on Friday, shooting sporadically.

An eyewitness, Sunday Abah, who spoke with DAILY POST, said the gunmen have been operating for several hours without security intervention.

“Armed robbers have taken over everywhere in Otukpo. They are just shooting whoever they see.

“Currently, they are robbing Zenith bank and they been here for more than three hours”, he said.

The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene Sewuese could not be reached as of the time of filing this report

Afatal crash involving a tanker and a car along Stadium Road, by Uruaebot market, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, has claimed one person’s life.

The accident, which occurred at about 10:40 a.m. on Thursday, involved a tanker and a 406 PEUGEOT.

Confirming the accident in a statement on Friday, the spokesperson for the state command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Paul James, blamed overspeeding and inadequate display of caution signs as the cause of the accident.

He said, “On Thursday 19th October 2023, a fatal crash occurred along Stadium road by Uruaebot market, at about 1040hrs, involving a tanker with registration number – MHA869XA and a 406 PEUGEOT with registration number – CL775ABC.

“The one person involved was confirmed dead and deposited at the Hospital Morgue. FRSC operatives arrived at the crash scene, having received a report of the incident.

“It was gathered, upon inquiry, that speeding and inadequate display of caution signs were the causal factors of the crash.”

On his part, the state sector commander of the FRSC, Matthew Olonisaye, commiserated with the family of the diseased, describing the incident as unfortunate.

He urged motorists to exercise caution and ensure adequate display of road signs to inform other road users of danger ahead.

Protesters, on Friday, stormed the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos to commemorate the third anniversary of the killings of armless protesters by the officers of the Nigerian Army and police on October 20, 2020.

The peaceful walk, led by skit maker Adebowale Adebayo, also known as Mr Macaroni, witnessed heavy security presence, including the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, who had on Thursday, warned against any gathering at the tollgate.

MC Macaroni said the memorial walk was to honour the slain youth, adding, “We want to walk back, but the police don’t want us to walk back.

“We don’t want to give them a reason or an excuse to fire at us. We’ve been on this for three years now, and we know what they are capable of doing.”

The skit maker called for the unconditional release of youth in security agencies’ custody since October 2020.

“There are still some protesters who have been in prison since 2020. Lawyers have been on the cases, different shouts every day, but till now, they are still there.

“We are using this walk to once again call on all those concerned to grant the unconditional release of all protesters that are still in prison,” he urged.

The protest, which rocked major cities across Nigeria in 2020, sought an end to extrajudicial killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police.

It, however, resulted in the shooting of peaceful demonstrators shortly after the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced a curfew.

Many sources, including those from security sources, confirmed to Peoples Gazette that casualties were recorded on the night of the attack after soldiers fired at protesters who sat on the ground, singing the national anthem and waving the Nigerian flag.

Initially, the Nigerian Army denied being at the protest ground, stating that videos and photos from the scene were “doctored”.

However, it later admitted officers’ presence and claimed that shots were only fired into the air to enforce the curfew.

An Indian police official has been suspended from service after he won 15m rupees ($180,310, £149,009) on a fantasy sports platform.

Somnath Zende, a police sub-inspector posted in Maharashtra state’s Pune district, won the money while playing Dream 11, an online fantasy league.

Authorities say he was suspended for breaching the police code of conduct.

Mr Zende has refuted the claim. He’s due to face a departmental inquiry.

The police department in Pune’s Pimpri Chinchwad area, under which Mr Zende works, told BBC Marathi that he was suspended for playing the game without permission and for giving media interviews in his uniform.

Mr Zende, however, said he was being treated “unfairly”.

The police official said he began playing games on Dream 11 last month. On 10 October, he won the 15m-rupee prize money after winning a game on the platform.

Dream 11 calls itself a “game of skill” and cites a 2021 Supreme Court ruling on its website to say that its platform is exempt from the country’s gambling law.

Gambling is illegal in India but some in the gaming industry argue that the practice is different from “online skill-based gaming”, where the element of skill outweighs the element of chance.

The app has popular cricketer MS Dhoni as its ambassador and has featured Bollywood actors like Aamir Khan in its promos.

It lets fans over the age of 18 play sports like cricket, hockey, football and basketball online. Users create virtual teams using names of real-life players. They then earn points based on the performances of these players in actual matches.

Mr Zende won while playing the game during a match between Bangladesh and England in the ongoing Cricket World Cup in India.

Following his win, reports say Mr Zende was seen wearing his police uniform as he gave interviews to the media.

Amold Thorat, a worker of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is also in power in Maharashtra, wrote to the chief minister and his deputy, demanding action Mr Zende for engaging in “betting”.

Mr Thorat accused Mr Zende of playing the game while on duty and called it a “dereliction of duty”.

Photos of Zende in his police uniform had gone viral online and sent the “wrong message about the state’s police force”, he said in his complaint.

Mr Zende, however, told BBC Marathi he did not play the game while on duty. He also alleged that he was not the only police official to play the game.

“Many people play this game. It’s a sport. They play for hours,” he said. “It’s not a gambling game but still I’m being punished.

“Mr Zende said he planned to use his winnings to pay off a housing loan and start fixed deposit accounts in the name of his children.

At his departmental inquiry, Mr Zende will be allowed to present his case. A senior police official said the department would decide on a future course of action after the inquiry committee submits its report.

At least 18 people have been arrested after a wave of bomb threats prompted evacuations across France.

The Palace of Versailles, the Louvre as well as schools, airports and hospitals have been targeted.

Those behind the disruption are mostly minors, authorities say.

The threats come at a time of heightened tension in France, after a teacher was fatally stabbed by an alleged jihadist last week at a school in the northern city of Arras.

Bomb scares have led to the Palace of Versailles being evacuated four times this week, while the Louvre in Paris was also forced to evacuate thousands of visitors last Saturday.

A number of regional airports were evacuated on Wednesday, including Lille, Nantes, Nice and Toulouse, and 11 airports were also affected on Thursday.

France was placed on its highest state of counter-terrorism alert last week following the killing of 57-year-old teacher Dominique Bernard. The suspect, a former pupil, is a Russian national of Chechen origin.

Schools have also been targeted by bomb scares. Six high schools in the Toulouse area alone were evacuated on Thursday and earlier this week pupils in one Toulouse school were told to go under their tables when a suspect package was spotted in front of the building.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Thursday night that 18 people, mainly minors, had been arrested in a space of 48 hours but he stressed that France was under no specific threat.

The bomb scares have been made by phone or email, via a website launched in 2020 to text police officers direct, and by contacting official police social media accounts.

Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti warned those he called “little jokers” that they would be “found and punished”.

Authorities are using IP addresses and phone numbers to identify those responsible. Calling in a fake bomb threat is a crime in France that carries up to three years in prison and a €45,000 (£39,000) fine.

Haitian police have arrested a former justice ministry official suspected of ordering the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Joseph Felix Badio was caught as he was driving out of a supermarket car park in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Mr Moise was murdered in his bedroom by Colombian mercenaries in 2021. Most have since been arrested or killed.

His death threw Haiti into a prolonged political crisis and led to unprecedented levels of lawlessness.

Within months, criminal gangs extended their control over the capital, including its infrastructure and main fuel port.

Mr Badio is accused of ordering hitmen to carry out the attack. He is charged with murder, attempted murder and armed robbery.

Local media said Mr Badio had been fired from his post as an anti-corruption official in the justice ministry a few months before the assassination, after he was allegedly bribed to release a prisoner.

Some of the hitmen arrested hours after the killing alleged that Mr Badio, 60, had given them their orders.

Others implicated in the case have been convicted in the US. They include John Joel Joseph, a former Haitian senator, and Haitian-Chilean businessman Rodolphe Jaar.

The US has also accused Venezuelan-American Antonio Intriago, the owner of Florida-based CTU Security, of hiring the hitmen. He faces a number of charges including conspiracy to kill or kidnap.

Haiti’s unelected government has struggled to provide even basic services since Mr Moise’s death.

According to a UN report this week, gangs have taken control of much of the capital, running schools and clinics but also terrorising the population and fighting turf wars.

Thousands of Haitians have fled their homes in Port-au-Prince amid the soaring violence, and thousands have already died this year.

The UN recently ratified deploying an international force to support Haiti’s police, but few countries have committed personnel and it has yet to materialise.

It approved earlier this month Kenya’s offer to lead a multinational force to help restore order.

Arsenal were close to signing Jude Bellingham for just £500,000, according to the Daily Mail.

The first scouting report compiled on Bellingham has been released. In it, the midfielder’s talent is profiled while he still played for home-town club Birmingham City.

It is claimed that Arsenal made an approach for Bellingham while he was turning out at U14 level.

A compensation package worth £500,000 was required to complete a deal, with the Gunners willing to pay.

However, an “unforeseen delay” saw the move collapse and Bellingham went on to sign a contract with Birmingham.

Bellingham eventually went to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, before completing a €103 million transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2023.

Kenyan-Canadian actress Lupita Nyong’o has broken up with her boyfriend, TV host Selema Masekela.

The “Black Panther” star confirmed via her Instagram handle on Thursday night that she and the American sports commentator are no longer together less than a year after making their relationship official.

The 40-year-old thespian cited “deception” as the reason for their breakup.

Her lengthy Instagram post read, inter alia: “It is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.

“I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception.”

A large-scale rice farmer in northern Nigeria has backed the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to lift the Forex ban on the importation of rice.

He said the lifting of the Forex ban will break the monopoly of the processing and marketing of the grain by local millers.

Alhaji Hassan Yaro, who grows rice in Kano, Jigawa and Borno states, is the Chairman of the Kano Council of Traders and Entrepreneurs.

The Central Bank of Nigeria lifted the foreign exchange restrictions it placed on importers of rice and 42 other items eight years ago.

Alhaji Yaro, who spoke to our correspondent while inspecting one of his rice farms Wednesday at Zabarmari, in the outskirts of Maiduguri, praised the President Bola Tinubu administration for the lifting of the ban, believing that it would flood the market with the grain and slash its price to an affordable rate for the common man.

“I could remember, rice millers reached an agreement in 2014 with the then President Buhari in Africa House, Kano, when he was campaigning for re-election, to process enough of the grain for the country at an affordable price,”

“They even received a huge amount of money from the CBN to ensure this.”

Yaro stated, “For whatever reason known, perhaps, only to the local millers, the grain, instead of flooding the markets at prices affordable to the ordinary Nigerian, went beyond the reach of most Nigerians in terms of both availability and affordability up to last week when the Forex ban was lifted.”

Alleging that most rice millers do not mean well for the country, he vowed to mobilise as many farmers of the grain as he can across the country to upscale the traditional milling method and pursue wavers for the importation of affordable milling machines from China, should the local millers attempt sabotaging the Tinubu administration on this.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the appointment of eight new Chief Executive Officers for Parastatals and Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation with immediate effect.

They include the National Orientation Agency, the Nigerian Television Authority, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, National Broadcasting Commission, Voice of Nigeria, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, News Agency of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Council.

The appointments come 24 hours after closed-door talks between the President and the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, at the State House, Abuja.

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this in a statement he signed on Thursday titled ‘President Tinubu appoints new leadership across the information and national orientation sectors.’

The appointees are Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu as Director-General of the NOA, Mr Salihu Dembos retained his office as DG of NTA, Dr. Muhammed Bulama as DG FRCN, replacing Dr Mansir Liman.

Mr. Charles Ebuebu replaces Balarabe Illelah as Director-General of the NBC, Mr. Jibrin Ndace as DG of the VON, replacing Osita Okechukwu.

The President also appointed Dr Lekan Fadolapo as the Director-General of ARCON, Mr. Ali Ali as DG NAN and Mr. Dili Ezughah as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council.

The President tasked the newly entrusted leadership in these sub-sectors to “innovate and create new opportunities for Nigerians to leverage upon through the effective reform of these key institutions of government which function” to unify Nigerians, reshape mindsets, and showcase the nation to the rest of the world.